Shadow
by Sarcasm969
Summary: For so long, vampries and shape shifters alike have slipped upon the ground like ink, spilling across the earth. But there are others, beings deamed so unholdy to be shunned to the shadows forever. Until the birth of a girl created The Door. As Renseme Swan’s 16th birthday steadily approches, her creation begans to break, and she is thrown into a world she never dreamed existed.
1. Eastwood

**Eastwood was baking in the sun.**

After so many rainy days, the air hung humid and hot, like a heavy blue sheet across the entire town. It made staying home insufferable. Going outside to garden or play golf even more. So, despite the tinkling promise an of the ice cream truck, most people packed up their things and got in their cars. The beach was only a hour away. Hordes of cars drove out of town, the combined noise and clatter of the highway carrying across the sky like the roar of a distant beast.

Smith street was a quiet place. The many shops went mostly unoccupied for the better part of the year, but all were open. None of them were air conditioned. And there were no trees.

The only shade came from man-made slits amongst brightly colored pastel shops and cafés, so thin that even a rat could not get through. These attracted small clusters of unfortunates that gathered around them like saints to a church, as if hoping to leech the cool through their skin. When this effort provid impossible, they would wander on, foreheads slick with sweat, until they disappeared around a sidewalk and were gone.

So the day went.

It was here, in between the unlikely paring of a Sushi restaurant and a flower shop, that Josh Greenbrier sat in a stained overcoat, fast asleep.

Josh Greenbier was not a man who got hot. He was not a man who got cold, ether, which was good, because many of his nights were spent in the outdoors. You had to be a solid wall when you were like Josh. Weather could not mow you down, and when the snow came and buried you for the winter, you had to be impenetrable enough that you were unscathed when spring came again. Strong enough to fight off the Lingering.

People did not bother Josh. They barely noticed him. Spare for the quick, uneasy glances before they hurried on, they did not bother him. And but for the dollars that they dropped in his old Yankees cap, they did not help him. Josh did not care. In his eyes, as long as he was well rested, his bowels were clear, and the ache in his bones was small, he could do just fine without them.

So imagine his surprise when he was awakened from his slumber with a kick that landed rather harshly on his bad leg.

"Wha...?" Josh snorted, blinking upwards. His assaulters face and body was completely shadow, so he could not make out who his assaulter was. "Damn bastard... ain't got nothin' here... go away, eh?"

And Josh Greenbier turned to go back to sleep.

This got him another kick in the leg.

This time Josh sat up like a rocket. He was ready to hit him, hit _something,_ but something dropped into his lap without a word.

He looked down in disbelief.

It was a pristine white paper bag with a tell-tale yellow M on the front, extrodinarily greasy. In it, his nose told him, was a double bacon cheese burger and fries. And, he thought glutinously, a hash brown.

He looked up at the shadowy figure suspiciously. "What'da ya want?" He asked.

The shadow moved, slightly, and Josh Greenbier caught a whif of expensive bodyspray. His hands clutched the takeout bag close to his chest, as if it might evaporate.

"I need a favor." The figures voice was deep, and it tumbled like distant thunder. Instantly, Josh knew who it was. He almost cried out, almost whimpered like a dog, but he held his tongue.

"I-I... do I know you sir?"

The figure chuckled, but there was no mirth in IT's voice. IT's suit was crisp and light grey, with a purple tie. IT's breath smelled like milk. "Don't play this game with me, you old mink."

Josh spat, a white glob that landed a meer foot away. His expression remained blank.

"I know you." The figure continued. Smoke curled from IT's right hand, all though it was holding no cigarette. "I have money. Power. I can get you things." IT's voice was a low, velvety hiss. "I have a job. A favor. _She _is almost 16. The storm approaches, mink. We need her."

"So's? What have you to offer for the skin off my back?" Josh snarled. "Nothin. Nothin!"

The figure paused for a moment. "You're the best at what you do." IT said. Josh Greenbier blinked.

"Ack, flattery will get ya no where." He said, though his eyes gleamed like a fat cat who's spotted a cage of canaries. "Good or not, I can't do it." In finality he reached into the bag and took out his burger, taking a huge chomp out of it so his mouth was full.

The figure above him fell silent. Then, suddenly, IT crouched, proding a long narrow finger an inch away from Josh Greenbier yellow eye. With a twitch of it's forefinger and thumb, a silver coin fell into it's palm.

Josh's eyes bulged. Crumbs flew out of his mouth. In one painful gulp he swallowed his food, his throat pulsing as if it could not deside wether to tear or to choke.

"I'm offering the ultimate price." The thing in the grey suit purred. IT had him now. And IT was right.

A ache had started to arise in Josh Greenbier's belly, funny and painful. It spread though his limbs like poison. An old ache. One he knew well, one he had fought against for so long...

Its not my fault. Josh thought, shifting uncomfortably.

But that did not stop his eyes, and his heart. Wanting, waiting, hungry for the metallic thing between his teeth, to slide into his hallow ribs and shimmer like a second moon.

IT did not answer. He held the coin less then a centimeter away from Josh's nose, so the man had to go cross eyed.

"I own you, mink." The thing in the grey suit pulled out a silver coin, flicking it between it's fingers in a flashes. "I need bones to carve. Mine aren't good enough, and frankly, I don't want yours. I want hers."

Josh almost deflated with relief. "All right." He said, finally. "I'll do it."

The thing in the grey suit might have smiled, if IT had a mouth to smile with. "**_Good_**."

And, just like that, IT was gone.

And Josh Greenbier was left alone, burger in lap, with the sent of blood on his dry tongue.

And half way across the country, Renesme Swan woke in a cold sweat.


	2. The boy on the bus

She noticed him first on the bus.

Renesmee Swan sat on the pavement, twirling a dead leaf in her slight, white fingers. Autumn was coming. She could feel it in the air, the promise of orange leafs and spiced pumpkin dancing about her tounge. She checked her phone. It was half past 8, yet the bus had yet to appear. She was getting nervous. She wasn't sure how long she could keep this up.

"Hey, Nessie!"

_God. _

Just her luck. She knew who was calling her, that high, sweet voice matched with a slick braid and mocha colored skin. She would not have it this morning. She would not.

She sat on the curb, separate only slightly from the her regular friend group. Normally, she would join them. All of them liked her. Even Stevie, who was 5 feet of wild asshole and never liked anything he couldn't have sex with. She would share homework answers, Instagram stories. Steal gum out of Johanna's backpack.

But not today. She would not be putting up with it today.

"Nessie, hey! Hello?" A tap on the top of her head, far from gentle. She looked up. Liam Harris leaned over her. "What's wrong?"

Renesmee couldn't help but smile, despite her sour mood. Liam always made her smile. With his messy hair and freckles, he made for a perfect goofy advocate.

"Where's your jacket?" She asked incredulously. Indeed, Liam was in a black short sleeved shirt. There was a picture of a pepperoni pizza slice on it, and he had rolled the sleeves up into a tank top. "You're gonna catch a cold."

"Me? Never." Liam plopped down next to her. "I've got nerves of steel, baby, just you wait."

Renesmee giggled. He was always so ludicrously cheesy. He poked her leg. "What's the deal? Why don't you come over?"

Renesmee's smile faultered. "You know, Kelly."

"Ah." Liam said. He nodded, like he knew what she was talking about. He was pretending, of course. Liam didn't understand half of what came out of Renesmee's mouth.

"I just need a break." Renesmee sighed, rubbing her temple as if the very mention of Kelly was giving her a headache. Kelly, with a long braid and mocha skin. Kelly, who had a voice like a flute.

"...if you insist." Liam said. He pulled out a piece of gum from his sneaker and offered it to her. Renesmee pushed him away for that.

Liam's smile widened a fraction. His teeth were perfectly white.

Renesmee sat at near the front of the bus. Her friends filed to the back, giving her smiles and waves as they passed. They knew how it goes. Kelly was last. She tried to offer a small smile, but Renesmee looked away.

It was only when the door closed did she turn away from the window. She went to pick out her phone from her back pack. It was with suprise that she met the eyes of a boy. He had no back pack. He was standing the the middle of the aisle, swaying gently, as if moved by some invisible force. Hadn't she seen the last person get on the bus out of the corner of her eye? Hadn't she relaxed slightly, realizing hers was one of the only open spaces left on the bus, and she could spread out across the empty seat?

Yet here was this boy. Watching. Staring around the bus with an almost predatory gaze. As if he had suddenly appeared from the very mists of time.

Well, he had their attention now. Not Renesmee's type, but she could see why the bus quieted as they took in this new, oh-mysterious stranger.

"Hey, you! Sit down!"

This was Mr. Hedge, the bus driver. A short, red haired, fifty year old that resembled a toad just as much as he resembled a man. He was mean spirited too, because as soon as those last words left his greasy lips the bus lurched into action and sent the boy stumbling down the aile.

The spell was broken. Renesmee could hear the snorts of laughter from the kids around her, the barely-contained jeers threatening their mouths. She herself was stifling her own grin. Torment was funny, as long as you were not the one afflicted.

Renesmee has barely enough time to move her backpack before he sat down in the seat next to her. He didn't look embarrassed, in fact, he didn't look anything at all. His face was as blank as a stone.

"Hi." She said. "I'm Renesemee. Are you new?"

The boy looked at her, almost as if he hadn't seen her siting there. His thin lips tightened into a straight line. Renesmee's generosity faltered. With out a word, the boy turned away from her, effectively slamming a iron wall between them.

Renesmee let out a disgusted snort. Her cheeks burned with embarrassment. She looked at him out of the corner of her eye. He was handsome, after all. Sexy. His jaw could cut glass. His hair was all tossles and mess, so black that Renesmee was sure that he dyed it.

So what if he didn't want to talk to her? He reeked of cigarettes anyway.

By the time she got to school, Renesmee had just about forgotten about the boy and his attitude. She met Liam and her friends at the bottom off the bus. She managed to remain icy towards Kelly, despite the almost tearful looks on the girls face. Finally, they got into school, where with a quirvering lip Kelly rushed past them, barely containing herself. No one fallowed her.

Renesmee felt a twinge if guilt. Had she forgiven Kelly she would have rushed after her, but she had not. Kelly had brought this on herself. After all, wasn't it only Saterday that she and Joe Grey kissed at the football, despite her knowing Renesmee had been crushing on Joe for weeks?

No. There would be no sympathy here.

They walked to their lockers, as if it were any normal day. Renesmee saw the boy from the bus walk down the hallway. His pace was quick, and he soon disappeared from sight. The one strange thing Renesmee couldn't help but notice was that, instead of going to the office, the boy walked right past it and turned a sharp right down the hallway. The same way Kelly had gone.

At the time she thought nothing of it. Now, she wished she had.


End file.
